The Italian won the sprint after Cameron Meyer (Dimension Data) was caught and passed in the final hundred metres of the stage. He had been part of the break of the day that fought hard to stay away and was only pulled back in the final kilometre. Meyer used his track speed and skills to surge away but the peloton caught him just in time for Cimolai to emerge to give Lampre-Merida their first victory of the 2016 season.

Cimolai beat Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal) and Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) as the riders fought shoulder to shoulder to find a way to the line.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) finished safely in the peloton and so retained his overall race lead. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) is second at seven seconds, with Richie Porte (BMC) third at 17 seconds and Daniel Martin (Etixx-Quickstep) fourth, at 18 seconds.

The Volta a Catalunya ends on Sunday with a 136km hilly circuit stage around Barcelona’s Montjuïc area, that hosted the 1992 Olympic Games.